Communications Service Providers (CSPs) have their share of obstacles to contend with —changing customer behaviors, big tech competitors, silicon shortages, the list goes on. Not to mention the fact that they have to find ways to support the massive increase in connected devices throughout customers‘ homes. As Deloitte reported in a 2021 survey, the number of smart devices in the average U.S. home has more than doubled over the past two years.
OpenSync: Everything but the kitchen sink for CSPs
Adam Hotchkiss
One of Service Providers’ most difficult leaps is to find a framework that works on all different types of hardware platforms and allows this uniform level of control and user experience. We landed on software-defined networking as the solution. If you don't have this level of cloud control, then it's really difficult to deliver that baseline user experience.”
The question remains:
How can CSPs possibly keep up?
Enter OpenSync: an open-source framework that operates across devices and chipsets, allowing CSPs to deliver valuable services like AI-powered, adaptive WiFi, cyber-security, parental controls, and IoT device control. It even helps providers reduce their environmental footprint and build more eco-friendly strategies by extending the lifetime of their hardware.
Created by Plume and partners like Samsung, Comcast, Bell Canada, and Liberty Global, OpenSync is already used by over 250 CSPs to power more than half of homes in the U.S. and Canada, and roughly 40 million homes across the globe.
Vice President of Customer Solutions
at Plume
For CSPs, OpenSync can be a lifeline—providing everything but the kitchen sink to help them future-proof their businesses and survive an ever-changing market.
Want to know how, exactly?
Here’s what OpenSync has to offer
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Until recently, customers‘ available services were tied to their hardware. So if they wanted a new service or upgrade, they had to wait for their CSP to ship a new device to their home—a timely and costly process to say the least.
OpenSync solves this problem by using the cloud to connect and run software-defined networking functions across gateways, modems, routers, set-top boxes, and other access points.
”We wanted to break free of that old model,” Hotchkiss said. “And we've successfully done that.“
As a result, CSPs and customers can extend the lifecycle of their hardware and easily deploy new services throughout people's homes—effectively reducing electronic waste and having a positive environmental impact.
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Adam Hotchkiss
Vice President of Customer Solutions at Plume
“The ability to reach in remotely from the cloud and control different packet flows was number-one—the most paramount service offered over OpenSync. And it's really limitless, the number of applications or changes you could run from the cloud based on that.”
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for
WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of
services
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
OpenSync isn't just operable across hardware devices. It's also compatible with all major chip set vendors and Consumer Premises Equipment (CPE) vendors like Broadcom, MaxLinear, and Qualcomm.
This agnostic capability is especially important in the wake of the silicon shortage, which has forced many electronics and telecom companies to delay product releases and lose millions in revenue. Intel's chief executive even expects this shortage to impact production through 2023 and possibly beyond.
The good news is that OpenSync can help, allowing CSPs to upgrade gateways, manage home networks, and maintain connectivity at scale without having to wait for new chip sets or interrupt the consumer experience.
Adam Hotchkiss
Vice President of Customer Solutions at Plume
“If I have five different CPE vendors that I deployed in the network, each one can adopt the firmware and I can update it over the cloud. I can now offer that uniform experience without having to strand and leave behind all my customers.”
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of services
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
The silicon shortage has also presented CSPs with another important opportunity: build more sustainable and environmentally conscious strategies to extend the lifetime of your hardware. OpenSync's cloud-based framework enables them to do just that.
Think about it. If you can up-cycle the devices that are already in customers' homes by adding new services remotely, you won't have to replace any equipment. Instead, you'll keep that hardware running, effectively reducing scrap and landfill.
Since all updates are pushed through the cloud, you also won't have to send engineers out to do manual upgrades or address customer support issues. That means you'll reduce the number of trucks out in the field, which can have a major environmental impact.
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of services
Built-in support for WiFi 6 and 6E
WiFi 6 and 6E are poised to be game-changers for CSPs and their consumers—opening up new opportunities to support multiple devices at faster connection speeds. Put simply, WiFi 6 promises improved communication across devices, better battery life, and enhanced security. WiFi 6E builds on this with the added capability of a 6 GHz frequency, which means reduced network interference and better performance.
Of the 5.2 billion WiFi 6 products projected to ship by 2025, more than 40% are expected to support WiFi 6E. In fact, many companies are already building new chips and applications equipped with WiFi 6E.
The problem is that, to truly take advantage of all that WiFi 6E has to offer, CSPs need advanced network management capabilities. Otherwise, they'll only frustrate customers and cost themselves precious time and money.
That's where OpenSync comes in—it's the most broadly adopted cloud framework for WiFi 6 and 6E, supporting an expanding range of WiFi 6E chips and CPEs. With OpenSync, CSPs can enjoy the sophisticated cloud management at their fingertips, giving them the power to keep up with consumers' increasingly complex and device-filled home networks.
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of services
Fast, widespread deployment of services
Looking to the future, OpenSync poses an interesting challenge to CSPs. Now that you don't have to worry about obstacles like chip set supply and hardware compatibility, what will you do next? Meaning, what more can you do to delight your customers and increase revenue?
“OpenSync is a perfect example of a framework that doesn‘t limit the number of services that you can deploy,” Hotchkiss said. “It's really about how fast can you add them to the cloud and what's your ability to digest and deploy those operationally? That's the challenge that we give to the Service Providers.”
Plume HomePass, for example, includes personalized services like adaptive WiFi, parental controls, guest management, cyber-security protection, and motion detection. With OpenSync, CSPs can more efficiently deliver these customized services and develop their own for superior smart home experiences.
Adam Hotchkiss
Vice President of Customer Solutions at Plume
“Now, we look forward to the future as OpenSync is being adopted not only by Service Providers, but also open-source communities and other cloud vendors as their main framework.”
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of services
Download our whitepaper to learn more about OpenSync.
Download whitepaper
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Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for
WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of
services
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for
WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of
services
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for
WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of
services
Cloud-based control and flexibility across platforms
Compatibility with different chip set vendors
Eco-friendly benefits for sustainable outcomes
Built-in support for
WiFi 6 and 6E
Fast, widespread deployment of
services
Download whitepaper
Download whitepaper
Download whitepaper